Where Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue
by sammo56
Summary: The gang, along with a new member try to survive the last months of the war that has plagued the world for over a hundred years. they must combat battle,death and worst of all....love? PLZ REVIEW!
1. Feng Mao

_Only one more month until the invasion, then I can finally end this war_ Aang thought just before a large broadsword arced toward his head. Aang quickly paired the blow with an upward swing with his own sword countering the enemy thrust with a loud metallic CLAAAANG!

But before Aang could counter with his own attack, a leg swooped towards his own legs knocking him face down into the soft sand. Aang groaned and turned onto his back only to be confronted with the sharp point of his opponent's sword inches from his face. Must people put into this position by Feng Mao would have pleaded and cried for mercy to escape their certain death but this very skilled swordsmen. But Aang just laughed heartily and said "Feng I don't think I'm as good at dueling as you are quite yet." Feng Mao standing above Aang at 6'5 250 pounds at the age of 26 was a giant of a man, but he moved with the same nimble speed of the air bending monks of many ages past. His medium length brown hair and huge muscular build also helped single him out from ordinary men, his Prussian blue eyes were said to stare right into your soul when he looked at you. He also since the capture of the council of Fi 2 month's prior happened to be the highest ranking Earth Kingdom general left and had recently been named by the Earth King himself as supreme commander of all allied forces and head of the invasion of the Fire Nation itself. As a testament to Feng's skills as a military commander all the occupied areas of the Earth Kingdom had been liberated by his forces, excluding the huge city of Bae-Sing- Se. Which had been put under siege by one of Feng's subordinate generals. But as well as being one of the most gifted military minds of the current age, Feng was also known for his compassion and great regard for human life. He had many friends in the military in the allied army but also friends in the Fire Nation's army as well. But many knew despite his compassionate nature on the battlefield he quickly changes into a hard man that wont stop until his enemy is defeated.

After fleeing Bae-Sing- Se the gang had flown to Feng's headquarters south of the outer city walls. There in the presence of thousands of soldier's and a close to dead avatar, Katara, Toph and Sokka had asked for his assistance and a safe place for Aang to heal from his wounds. Feng promptly pledged his sword and army in service to the avatar and had been traveling with the gang ever since. Now his huge invasion force had been gathered from all corners of the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe cities. They had all gathered upon the eastern shore of the Earth kingdom, getting ready to launch their invasion in approximately one months time. At this time the gang had been traveling to meet this army and prepare for the invasion.

Feng took sword away from his close friends face and replied with a chuckle " No kid your defiantly not even close to me yet but your definitely getting better, but I haven't asked you in a while, how's the whole confessing to Katara idea working out."Aang sat up brushing the sand from his tunic while turning and gazing out at the cerulean blue sea. " The same as the last time you asked me, everything I do, say or look at reminds me of her, but I mean…. she would never look at someone like me for a romantic relationship and I don't think I could stand that rejection. I mean… Id be losing my best friend and the love of my life in one big stroke."

"Well Aang I'd do something about it soon or else you run the risk of losing her to someone else." Feng said as he sat down next to Aang and taking a long drag from his fire whiskey bottle.

" I don't know how to tell someone I love them so much id die for them Feng, frankly I don't see how anybody does it."

"Oh well its easy after throwing up a couple times, not being able to eat anything the whole day before you tell her and actually being able to collect all the sweat running from your hands and face into a large cup" Feng saidwith a laugh"and anyway… Well you may have to die for her"Feng quickly mumbled this as he took another drink from his bottle.

"What was that?" Aang said with a puzzled look on his face.

Feng sighed and looked at Aang, "Well my avatar friend, you are now a soldier like it or not. Part of being a soldier is having to come to terms with the fact that he may not come back after the war…. so if you have any serious business with Katara or anyone else for that matter, I suggest you clear it up this coming month before the invasion. Because you may not get another chance."

Aang pondered this for a moment before simply stating with a large grin on his face "I might have to take up drinking" as he slowly reached for Feng's whiskey bottle. " Not a chance in hell kid,**"** as Feng yanked the bottle from Aangs grasp "Its bad enough I have a drinking problem, I'm not about to allow some 13 year old kid get messed up to"

"I was just joking"Aang half said and half laughed. "Come on Feng, let's move on to those close combat moves you wanted to show me"

With that Aang and Feng stood up taking of their shirts and assumed their favored offensive positions. Suddenly Aang stared toward the rustling trees and after a minute of scanning the thick underbrush said,"Have you ever gotten that feeling someone's watching you"

"Well Aang" Feng replied "Sokka went foraging for food to the north of us, my army is encamped about 20 miles away to the south and Toph and Katara went to that village we saw yesterday to go find some hot springs for a bath. I mean Sokka we know won't get back till close to sundown and Katara and Toph don't strike me as the spying types. So no… right now I don't feel like someone's watching me you crazy paranoid kid"

Aang laughed and agreed with a nod of his head but still wearily peered into the thick forest that bordered their camp along with the beach. His staring contest with the woods however was interrupted when Feng started to advance at him and after a few minutes of barley dodging many powerful punches, jabs and kicks his feeling's of being watched by some unknown person or thing turned into a feeling of testosterone driven aggression as he and his new but very close friend traded blow for blow as they prepared for the many hard fights yet to come. But little did Aang and Feng know but Aang happened to be right. Someone was watching them and Feng happened to be wrong, Katara and Toph were the spying types and a lot closer then they thought.


	2. Questions

"Katara what are we doing here" Toph wined as she was dragged along by her friend through the woods.

"Shhhh Toph I just want to see something ok! Then we can go to the springs for a bath or even earth bend, we'll do whatever you want, I promise ok."

"Fine whatever but if you really wanted to spy on twinkle toes and general whiskey breath we could have just stayed at the camp." Replied Toph

"Were not spying Toph, that's ridicules…were… just observing…ya observing "Katara said slowly

_Who am I kidding I am spying. _Katara thought to herself

_Right your spying because you just wanted to see Aang with is shirt off. _Katara's conscience replied to her

_That's ridicules! I've seen Aang with his shirt of plenty of times, why would this time be different?_

_Who knows, but if it isn't different why are we creeping around trying to catch a peek._

"Look at me I'm arguing with myself…why am I going so crazy!" Katara said out load

"Ummmm maybe because your in love Katara, I'm blind and even I can see that." Toph said with a huge grin on her face.

"Wait! How could you hear me, I was thinking to myself!" Katara said obviously confused and annoyed.

"Actually you've been talking to yourself out load for about a minute in a half now sugar queen." Toph replied

"Oh…" Katara felt her whole face go bright red with embarrassment. "Please Toph don't tell anyone how I feel about Aang, he needs to be worrying about the invasion right now…. not how to shoot me down without hurting my feelings."

"Whatever sugar queen I'm going to take a bath like we said we were going to, just don't drool too much over twinkle toes…and what makes you so sure he'd reject you." And with those parting words Toph walked into the woods away from the confused water bender.

_Jeee Toph a better question is why wouldn't he reject me… I mean he's the avatar. He could have his pick of every girl in the whole world, why would he pick someone like me. I'm not some noble from the Omashu or the North Pole. I'm just a regular girl from a ridiculously small village in the South Pole. Im not even that good looking! But him…_

Katara brooded silently in her mind, as she stealthily peered at the pair before her as they traded kicks and punches during their training session_. I may not be beautiful but look at him…those chiseled muscles, his gorgeous gray eyes and even that nice ass…_

"What! Katara your 16 you're to young to think about stuff like that!"Katara whispered to herself

But still she couldn't help but let her eyes roam the air benders body and wonder about what lay under his tunic. Katara then posed a question to herself that would haunt her for many days. _Do I even try to win his heart? or do I just accept that ill never have him. _

Katara pondered that question for the rest of the day. Even after she caught up with Toph, she pondered it. She thought about it even after they returned to camp to pack for their final journey to the Allied army. She argued with her conscience about the question even after she had started to drift away from the gang that night, to confused about her own feelings to talk to anyone… especially him. She even thought about it as she dreamed that night, desperately trying to find the answer to her own question. Even after landing at the Allied army's headquarters the next morning she battled with herself over it. Sure she put on a fake smile to appease everyone. But Aang knew something was wrong with her. She saw it every time his gray eyes met hers. She heard it every time he asked if she was ok, she smelled it after the hugs he gave her when she said that nothing was wrong. What she didn't see, smell or hear was the two Prussian blue eyes observing the young pair from afar. The eyes themselves along with the brain that used them seemed to be calculating how to join the two obvious lovers together before it was to late.


End file.
